Miller draught trials at 60 pubs in Scotland
Miller Genuine Draft (MGD) is being trialled on draught in around 60 pubs in Scotland.
MGD is currently primarily sold in bottles but Miller Brands, the UK arm of SAB Miller, has been carrying out trials of a draught version over the past three months.
It has been working with Greene King's Scottish estate Belhaven on trials. "It is going OK," said Miller Brands managing director Nick Miller. "The route to market is quite challenging in Scotland but we are meeting expectations."
Yesterday, SAB reported lager volumes were up by around 35% in the UK during its first quarter of 2011 with MGD showing "significant" growth after benefiting from World Cup promotional activity.
Sales of Peroni continue to grow benefiting from the good weather rather than the World Cup because of its higher price point in the off-trade and selective distribution in the on trade.
Pilsner Urquell sold over 80,000 pints last weekend as an official sponsor of the British Open golf tournament at St Andrews in Scotland. The brand also showed growth in the quarter. "It often does well in pubs that have a good cask ale offer and attract real beer fans," said Miller.
"It is bridging the gap between cask and lager."
However, the Miller Brands boss remains cautious. "One swallow does not make a summer and there are tough times ahead," he said. "We still have plenty of work to do."
He also took a pop at the duty system in the UK, with cider benefiting from a lower rate. "There are some major brands enjoying substantial duty benefits from cider, which is a long alcoholic drink like beer, which is unfair and needs to be rectified."
Miller also warned that Government intervention in the form of a minimum price was not the way to stop binge drinking. "Tax will not solve the binge problem," he warned.
"It is about education and the industry is certainly doing a lot of that through Drinkaware and our talking alcohol website.
"The problem is a social one and you can't solve that simply through a minimum price."
